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The Beautiful

& The Useful

 

Paul Rand’s Studio (1953)

Liza Rodriguez Madrid

Liza Rodriguez Madrid

Digital Marketing Intern

In such a connected time as ours, there seems to be a craving for creative content, yet simultaneously, we are experiencing media overload across all platforms. 

As creatives, this brings both opportunities and challenges. We seek inspiration everywhere, often finding it in the work of fellow artists and designers. Yet, we yearn for our work to be seen and our voices to be heard above the crowd.

That leaves us asking, “How do we distinguish ourselves from the millions of other creative geniuses out there?”  and “How do we  find our place is in this new creative world where the lines between art and design are so blurred?”

 “Why does design have so many rules?”, asked my younger self in my first graphic design course. My professor was impressed. “Design with no rules or principles is what I call art”, she said.

I was startled. Although this may seem like a basic concept, artists and designers alike may need to refresh this knowledge to truly find their voice. 

If there’s anything I remember from my time in quarantine, it’s reading Thoughts on Design by Paul Rand, the mid-century modern graphic designer who “humanized corporate America”, according to The Atlantic.

“Graphic design, no matter what else it achieves, is not good design if it’s irrelevant”, wrote Rand as he explained graphic design in a way I had never heard before.

As I read this, I became self-conscious of everything I had ever created, trying to figure out if it was relevant or not. Though, I don’t think Rand’s intention was to minimize anyone’s creative efforts. I believe he took a thick Sharpie and marked the line between creative expression and design. The line that was perviously so blurred, was blurry no more in my eyes. 

Design is rooted in purpose and carried out in principles.

 As we refresh websites, revise logos, and search for inspiration, let us create and enjoy visual communication as “the embodiment of form and function: the integration of the beautiful and the useful,” as Rand so thoughtfully captured. 

Visit our Instagram for more inspiration and tips!

Design Study – Our Take On Branding an Interior Design Firm

Design Study – Our Take On Branding an Interior Design Firm

We set out to create a mockup for an Interior Design concept called “Studio 27.” The name emulates innovation, sparking a sense of design experimentation and discovery. As seen in the mood board, the firm is eccentric when it comes to design. Unique colors, shapes and patterns are some of the main focal points of the rooms created. This plays into the overall brand as Studio27 remains selective over the projects and clients they choose to work with. When you see the room, you will know it was the work of Studio27.

The Value of Brand Loyalty

The Value of Brand Loyalty

The key to brand loyalty is value.

Establishing value, increasing value, sustaining value, retaining value, advertising value, communicating value… and so on. You get it.

The value your product and/or service provides is why the customer continues to come to you. Knowing the ‘why’ helps craft your evolving ‘how’ and the loyalty grows from there.

Brand loyalty requires value to exist, visuals to be recognizable and cohesive, and consistency to carry them all the way home.

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